Viol class instrument



P 7, 1954 o. STEINBAUER 2,688,270

VIOL CLASS INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 24, 1951 L H1 8 J D D B 2. K L I E O!Tm QQ IMF E m Patented Sept. 7, 1954 2,688,270 VIOL CLASS INSTRUMENTOthmar Steinbauer, Vienna, Austria Application September 24, 1951,Serial No. 247,913

Claims priority, application Austria September 30, 1950 Claims. 1

This invention relates to viol class instruments.

The undertaking to design novel viol class instruments is based on therecognition that the decline of house music is largely due to the lackof instruments of a sound type suitable Ior performance in small rooms.All our modern musical instruments have been adapted for a long time tothe sound requirements of the large romantic orchestra and to theacoustic requirements of large concert halls. It is apparent thatinstruments the sound intensity of which is thus increased are notcapable of producing that intimate efiect which is required for housemusic and renders the latter enjoyable. Moreover, beautifully soundinginstruments desired for soloist chamber music are most expensive and canbe afforded only by a, small number of amateurs.

The redesign of viol class instruments, therefore, faces the problem toprovide instruments to be played just as the conventional violinstruments but having a sound which is clear, noiseless, gentle, andWarm, and a light response. Their sound intensity must not beexaggerated, as in most modem or modernized viol class instruments, tosuch a degree that the instruments sound sharp, shrill, or rough, andthat, when several solo parts are played together, their sound can beblended with that of several similar or difierent instruments only to anlIlSllfllClEIlt degree so that the balance and beauty of the overallsound is destroyed. It is also necessary that these novel viol classinstruments, in spite of the high sound quality requirements to becomplied with, must lend themselves to being manufactured much lessexpensively than the viol class instruments now in use, where conditionsof manufacture (manufacture of individual instruments by masters,repetition work, factory manufacture) are the same. This is possibleonly when the entire construction of the novel instruments is simplerthan that of the traditional viol class instruments.

Thus the invention relates to viol class instruments comprising asubstantially parallel-faced sound body. The essential feature of theinvention consists in that the horizontal outline of the sound bodycorresponds to the longitudinal cross section of an egg, interrupted bytwo re-entrant portions between the cheeks, and that the originallyplane top and bottom plates are strained in a cylindric orspherical-segment shape to the sides, which are higher adjacent to thebridge.

It has been proved by facts that the usual 2 vaulting of top and bottomconventional in viol class instruments is not significant for thefundamental sound character of the instruments.

, This design mainly corresponds to a baroque style. The plane top andthe plane bottom, which are both strained in a cylindric orspherical-segment shape, do not change the fnudamental sound character.

The shaping of the top and bottom plates (decreasing taper toward thesides) is simple and creates no problems. Therefore, there are much lesssources of mistakes than in scooping out the top and bottom in theviolin. This is of great significance particularly for repetition work.

In an inherently fiat top and bottom the oscillation is relativelysimple. For this reason the sound will be clear. The necessary balanceof the sounds of the several strings is also improved by the simpleroscillation.

The top is provided with a bass beam, the attachment of which, from thecraftsmans viewpoint, is much simpler where the top is plane than whereit is vaulted. Similarly as in the viola da gamba or the viola damorethe bottom 0 has a cross beam. As in all viol class instruments thebottom and top are connected by a sound post.

The peg plate signifies a great simplification as compared with the pegbox and scroll in viol class instruments. By its substantial thicknessit provides a better hold for the downwardly extending pegs. The entirearrangement enables a more convenient method of tuning the strings.

In the science of musical instruments the name and conception of thetype of an instrument depend not only on structural and acousticfeatures but to a high degree also on its outside shape. For instance,if a viol class instrument is called violin this name and thecorresponding type of instrument is inseparably connected with the knownbaroque form. The various differently shaped forerunners of the violinhave other names. The idea of a musical instrument comprises not onlyits structural and acoustic features but also the corresponding outsideshape. For this reason every museum collection of instruments provesthat musical instruments are evaluated not only from the structuralviewpoint as sound producing devices but to a high degree also ascreations of artistic craftsmanship. A musical instrument which in itsoutside shape, in its execution and in its entire appearance is notconsidered beautiful and balanced will not be desired by anyone andwill, therefore, not find any distribution. By necessity, the structuraland acoustic requirements must be blended in every musical instrumentwith the requirements of playing technique and with the outside shape togive an integrity.

The characteristic, simple, almost flat construction of the top andbottom of the viol class instrument according to the invention requiresalso a plain and simple outline and this in turn necessitates asimp-leshape of .the sound holes. The thus shaped sound body in turndetermines the shape of the peg plate, of the finger board, and of thetailpiece.

The accompanying drawings show by way of example an embodiment of theinvention, in

Fig. 1 in a top plan view andin Fig. 2 in a side view.

As can be seen from the drawings the sound body of the novel viol classinstrument has a substantially flat top A and a similarly flat bottom B.The top and bottom are substantially parallel each other but arestrained in a slightly cylindrical or spherical-segment shape over thesides, which reach their maximum height adjacent to the bridge C,whereas the sides taper in height towards the ends in accordance withthe desired straining of the top and bottom.

- The horizontal outline of the sound body corresponds to the crosssection of an egg which is interrupted by the re-entrant portionsbetween the upper cheeks E and the lower cheeks I The sound holes G areof crescent shape, for formal and space reasons. The end points of thecrescent holes (radius 11 and radius 1-2) are situated on two circleshaving opposite centers 9c and 1/ and extending through the outer endpoints of the lower cheeks.

The neck H is fitted into the top block so as to be flush-with the topand not protruding over the same. The finger board I is of wedge shapeup to the sound body. The tail pieceJ is shaped similarly as the fingerboard. The saddle K for the tail piece at the lowerend of the sound bodyis heavily elevated to reduce the string pressure correspondingly.

The neckhas at its upper end a peg plate L,

si-milarly to those of the early-medieval fiddle or the old lyra dabraccio. It is tenon-andmortise jointed to the neck and slightlyinclined backwardly. The pegs extend below the plate.

For reasons or" playing technique, the portion M where the neck joinsthe peg plate has the same shape as in viol class instruments having apeg box. Finally it may be mentioned that this novel musical instrumentcan be built in various sizes in accordance with the different voiceparts.

What I claim is:

1. A viol class string instrument comprising a sound box having a bellypanel, a back panel, and walls spacing said panels entirely around thesound box, the outline of the horizontal cross-section of said sound boxbeing substantially similar to the longitudinal cross-section of an egg,a substantially semi-circular bout in each side of the sound box to forma waist substantially midway between the longitudinal extremities of thesound box, said Walls being of gradually increasing depth approachingthe middle of the sound box, said belly panel and back .panelboth beingunder a bending stress and slightly arched in a longitudinal directionof the instrument only.

2. A viol class string instrument in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe thickness of said belly and back panels decreases from acentral-point toward the outer edges thereof.

3. A viol class string instrument in accordance With claim 1, comprisingalso a peg plate attached to said sound box.

4. A viol class string instrument in accordance with claim 3, alsocomprising a finger board having a wedge-shaped portion extending overthe sound box.

5. A viol class string instrument in accordance with claim 1, alsocomprising a tail piece connected to one end of said sound box, a bridgecentrally located on said belly, a peg plate connected to the other endof said sound box comprising tuning pegs positioned therein, a fingerboard, and strings extending from said tail piece over said bridge tosaid tuning pegs, said tail piece being spaced from said sound box by asupporting member attached to the edge of the sound box, whereby thepressure exerted by said strings upon said bridge is substantiallyreduced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date D. 4,866 Wildman May 2, 1871 D. 26,423 Livermore 1 Dec. 22,1896 1,208,077 Ashley Dec. 12, 1916 1,777,618 Kaylor Oct. 7, 19301,941,595 Burdick Jan. 2, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country .-Date578,768 France July 11, 1-924

